Counter Programming: An Edith Head Tribute and a Double “Dog Day Afternoon”

Your guide to the best indie films of the weekend—popcorn not included

This week you’ve got your pick of a reboot, a sequel, and a Twister copy. If you’re not in the mood for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Step Up: All In, or Into the Storm, check out these picks.

Edith Head Tribute Film Series/Dead Men Don’t Wear PlaidThis week the UCLA Film and Television Archive will commence “What I Really Do is Magic,” a series that pays tribute to Hollywood’s most famous costume designer, Edith Head. Beginning in the 1920s, Head’s career lasted five decades and earned her a record-setting eight Oscars. (Here’s a sampling of her influential work.) The series, which includes Sunset Blvd. and Roman Holiday, begins with Head’s final credit, Carl Reiner’s noir homage/spoof Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid starring Steve Martin. Bonus: Reiner and costumer design expert Deborah Nadoolman Landis will be on-hand to discuss Head’s legacy.When: Friday, August 8, 7:30 p.m.Where: Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood

Dog Day Afternoon/The DogDirected by Sidney Lumet (12 Angry Men, Network) and starring Al Pacino in his Godfather era prime, Dog Day Afternoon recounts an actual bank-robbery-turned-hostage-situation with such well-honed seriocomic immediacy that the film became a ’70s classic. Now there’s The Dog, a documentary about the real-life character that Pacino portrayed, robber John Wojtowicz, who held up the bank to pay for his lover’s sex change. It’s a great companion piece to the original movie, providing a fuller backstory about exhibitionist, gay rights activist, outspoken bisexual, and local celeb Wojtowicz, painting an even more complicated portrait of a notorious individual. A great double feature.When: Friday, August 8, 7:30 p.m. (The Dog will also play by itself at Cinefamily from August 9-14.)Where:Cinefamily, 611 N. Fairfax Avenue, Mid-City